Jim Mair was a journeyman defenceman for three different clubs in the early 1970s. Although he never played a full big-league season, his offensive production and hard-nosed play earned him a notable reputation in the minors.
Born in Schumacher, Ontario, Mair played junior with the OHA's Hamilton Red Wings and the St. Jerome Alouettes of the QJHL. He spent three years with the EHL's Johnstown Jets before signing as a free agent with the Philadelphia Flyers in September 1969. Mair played a handful of contests for Philly but was chiefly employed in the AHL.
The New York Islanders in the 1972 Expansion Draft claimed the young defender. During the 1972-73 season, he registered 13 goals but struggled defensively along with most of his teammates. Before the end of the season, he was claimed on waivers by the Vancouver Canucks and was a farmhand for them over two seasons. Mair retired in 1975 after playing most of the season with the CHL's Seattle Totems.
